NRCC: Larsen's Job-Crushing Government Healthcare Takeover Dealt Another Blow in Court

Washington Democrat Defends Takeover Which Destroys Jobs, Raises Costs and Has Been Ruled Partially Unconstitutional Again

NRCC Communications Office - (202) 479-7070  Contact:  Paul Lindsay, CommunicationsDirector

Washington --- Rick Larsen has defended the Democrats' disastrous government takeover of healthcare (Roll Call #14, 1/19/11), but his big-government plan was dealt another blow today when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled one of its most important components unconstitutional. It comes as no surprise that the majority of Americans and the courts now believe that Larsen's ill-conceived government takeover of our healthcare system should have never occurred in the first place.

"Rick Larsen is going to have to try even harder to defend the Democrats' disastrous government takeover of healthcare now that the American people and the courts are lining up against it and its devastating consequences," said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. "Since its hurried passage by Larsen's Democrat leaders in DC, the results have been overreaching mandates, job-crushing red tape, and growing healthcare costs when middle-class families in Washington can afford it least."

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals today struck down the individual mandate in the Democrats' government takeover of healthcare:

"A federal appeals court has struck down the requirement in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul package that virtually all Americans must carry health insurance or face penalties. A divided three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday struck down the so-called individual mandate, siding with 26 states that had sued to block the law." ("Appeals court strikes down health overhaul requirement that most Americans must buy insurance,"  Associated Press, 8/12/11)

In what is starting to seem routine, further consequences of the Democrats' takeover were also revealed today:

"Buried in a web of new rules issued on Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged that the national health care law's definition of Medicaid elgibility would impose higher costs on states." (Philip Klein, "HHS: Obamacare will hike state Medicaid costs," The Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential Blog, 8/12/11)

And the majority of Americans continue to support a repeal of the Democrats' government takeover of healthcare:

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the measure adopted in March of last year, while 40% are at least somewhat opposed to repeal. These findings include 41% who Strongly Favor repeal and 24% who Strongly Oppose it." ("Health Care Law," Rasmussen Reports, 8/8/11)

 Rick Larsen has defended the Democrats' disastrous government takeover of healthcare, but the American people and even the courts are finding little to like. Instead, the consequences that Larsen seems oblivious to will continue to destroy jobs and drive healthcare costs up for middle-class families in Washington that simply can't afford it.

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